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Before The Event That Never Was, I wrote about the need for a rail line along the 405 corridor. I exchanged a few emails with Bart Reed of the Transit Coalition, who shared some insight as to how to get such an important piece of the transit puzzle off the ground (or rather, under.) He said they have been in talks with Los Angeles Council Districts 6 and 11, and that they would begin promoting through social media sites.

I asked Bart how people could get more involved. He said that we need to start by garnering support from neighborhood councils. So, that’s where I began, with a few emails of my own:

This past weekend, the closure of the 405 and the media attention it received resulted in a ripple effect on the entire freeway system. Drivers got lucky. Businesses did not. This further illustrates the need for viable transportation alternatives. Specifically, a more comprehensive regional rail network.

As a contributing author for Blogging.LA, I wanted to get your input on a newly envisioned Metro rail line from the Valley to the Westside, by way of the 405 corridor.

Waterloo and City is a recent addition to the spectacular list of restaurants that call Culver City home. I’ve been three times and have tried many things on the menu (all super delicious) but when they bring the dessert menu over I wave them away with a very posh “Bring me the sticky toffee pudding!”

Oooooh boy.

The sticky toffee pudding itself is hot and melty with the cakey part soaked through with the toffee part. But the kicker, the thing that gets me every time is the salted caramel that the pudding is bathing in. I could honestly have a bowl full of the caramel and be done with it, but you need the pudding part to break up the caramel overdose. On top is “milk ice cream.” I don’t know what that means exactly, sort of feels redundant. But who cares because that kiss of creamy goodness involves itself so beautifully with the toffee, caramelly goodness. I could see myself getting more intimately involved with this dessert, it is so sexy. Whew. Is it hot in here or what? [fans herself]

Get on over to Waterloo and City and try all of their yumminess (their special last night of the pasta with brown butter sauce and garlic foam with shaved truffle on top nearly did me in). Their menu changes often, which makes going often really fun, but if they ever EVER take this dessert off the menu…oh they’ll be in Barney!

Waterloo and City
12517 West Washington Blvd. (that’s the south one)
Culver City (the very West part)

It’s no secret there’s been all sorts of conflict over the division of the Eastside and Westside. The battle is no simple black and white matter, either–numerous factions battle for supremacy. Hipsters rise above their ennui long enough to dub Silver Lake the eastside; Boyle Heights & East LA residents rattle sabers, just DARING the mustachioed tight-pantsed hipsters to cross the LA River; and dopey Santa Monica dwellers in Dockers refuse to even cross Western Avenue. What a mess.

So it is with great amusement that I’ve been following the debate over at LA Eastside, where with the post “Mas Revolucion!” the die-hard Eastside OG blog attempt to rally the TRUE Eastside troops to resist the coming hipster apocalypse. Senor Guerrero, a hat tip to you and your excellent post, which manages to address real LA social issues with wit and humor.

On a tangent, though, I sure wish gentrification would come to Canoga Park. I’d take hipsters any day over gang shootings two blocks over. Hipsters are obnoxious, but rarely deadly (unless rabid), and they do increase my property value. Is it a sign of institutional racism that the well-kept yards and tidy homes of my immediate neighbors–who are working-class Latino families and excellent neighbors–are not enough to raise the property values in the area? Sigh.

In Mid March I posted about Poppy Viewing Season and had every intention of visiting the Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley and writing a follow up post. Fate had other more tragic plans for me and so poppy viewing was out this year, or so I thought. While getting some exercise through my neighborhood this week, I took a different route and saw these gorgeous, happy orange blossoms taking over someone’s front yard. (click photo for more pop.) I really am grateful to get even a small eyeful of these beauties.

El Chavo was able to go to the reserves in late March and wrote about it here.

There is nothing more straightforward than a place called FOOD. And the food at FOOD is fabulous. The main menu consists of a variety of sandwiches and salads with many vegetarian options. They always have two soups on the menus–“today’s soup” and “yesterday’s soup”–that change daily. The deli case displays various salads made fresh and you can order a two or three item salad plate that comes with greens. They also serve breakfast all day and I highly recommend their granola. Oh and the desserts. Gorgeous brownies (the one I got the other day was still warm), mini palmiers, rice crispy treats, apple tartin, cookies, whatever strikes the pastry chef’s fancy.

FOOD is also a gourmet market selling wine, teas and coffees, chocolates and other handmade candies. They also sell recycled aluminum foil and other green products. If you happen to be down the block at Lazer Blazer and realize you forgot a carton of milk, you can get pick one up here too.

After a roller coaster morning touring assisted living facilities with my husband (for his mom), we treated ourselves to a beautiful lunch at Leaf. Leaf serves organic, vegan, raw and beautifully prepared food.

We are not vegetarians or vegans or raw foodies by any means. On any other Saturday we might have just as easily had a Double Double with fries at the LAX In-N-Out. But last Saturday we drove by the lovely green building and said, “let’s try.” We didn’t even know it was raw food until we ordered — though how often do you eat raw foods without thinking about it? Big salads, cold soups, etc., all very refreshing on a warm afternoon.